Bo ad ob highway



J. S. BLANKINSHIP.

ROAD 0R HIGHWAY.

APPLICATION FILED nEc. I4. m15.

Patented Aug, 1, 1916. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Witnesses Attorneys l. S. BLANKINSHIP.

ROAD OH HIGHWAY.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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`adapted primarily to be usedfby aiuQiuaib.

ROAD OR HIGHWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1l, 1916.

Application iIed December 14, 1915. Serial No. 66,808.

To all whom t may concern.' I

Be it known that I, JOHN` S'rocIi'roN BLANKINsHIP, a citizenof the` United Statesj residing at Lynchburg, in ,the county ofj Campbell and State of Virginia,"-have'in vented `a new and yuseful vRoad .orr Highway, of which the following is a speciiicatiou.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a road. or highway automobiles. i

One object of the invention is to provide novel means for draining the highway.

Another object of the invention isto provide a cross tie of Vnovel form.

A further object 1 of the invention is to improve the 4construction of the traflic rails.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide means for interlocking the ends ofthe traiiic rails, and for interlocking -the ends of the drainage rails. I

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance 4the utility of devices Aof that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the aboveand other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosedcan-be made within thescope of what is claimed, .without departing from the spirit of theA invention.

In the accompanying drawings.: Figure 1 shows the highway in, transverse section; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of one of the traiiic rails; Fig. 3 is a bottoml plan of one of the traffic rails; Fig.4 is a top plan showing one of the catchbasins and adjacentparts; Fig. 5 is a fragmental top plan'showing one end of the cross tie; Fig.; 6 is a yperspective showing one of the latch bars Fig.j 7 is a fragmental perspective showing onel of the latch holding .casingsgFig 8 is a cross section of the catch basin andv adjacent parts; Fig.,9 is a fragmental top planwhere-` in a portion of the drainage rails are shown in cross section; Fig. 10 is a fragmental top plan wherein the drainage rails have been broken away, parts ofthe traffic rails and the tie appearing in section; Fig. 11 is a bottom plan, showing a modied form of traffic rail.

The road or highway forming the subject I matter of this application embodies any desired number of cross ties 1 preferably made of concrete, each cross tie embodying a central table 2, and lugs 3 and 4 upstanding at the ends of the table. `Notches 5 are formed in the upper surface of the cross tie 1 between the ends of the table 2 and the lugs 3 and 4, the notches 5 being adapted to receive the traffic rails as will be described hereinafter. Partially embedded in the cross ties 1 and extended longitudinally thereof are reinforcing strips 6, the ends 7 of which may be downwardly inclined and may carry anchoring pins 8. Intermediate their ends, reinforcing stripsG are arched upwardly to form crowns 9. Assembled with the strips 6,' are anchors 10, other anchors 11 engaging the crowns 9 of the strips 6. The innermost portion of the crown 9 is approximately flush with the upper surface of the table 2 of the cross tie 1 and supports Ia tie plate 12 on which rests a cushion block 14, the cushion blocks and the tie plates being detachably assembled with the tie 1 by means of bolts 15. Resting on the cushion blocks 14 of the respective ties and secured to the ties by the bolts 15 is an intermediate clutch rail 16..

It is contemplated that thepresent highway shall be used primarily by motor vehicles, and it is proposed that each motor vehicle shall be provided witha suitable clutch member adapted to engage the rail16, to the end that motor vehicles may be guided along the highway. 1 Since no specific form of clutch mechanism can be claimed in this application, no clutch mechanism has been shown or described, but the foregoing eX- planation will render evident the function rof the clutch rail 16. TheA ends of the reinforcing strips 6 deiine the bottoms of the notches 5 in the cross tie 1.

. Resting in the notches 5 on the end portions of the reinforcing strip 6 are tie plates 17 provided beyond the vertical edges of the tie 1 with openings 1S. Disposed in the notches 5 and resting on the tie plates 17 are traiic rails 19 which are composite structures. lEach trafhc rail 19 preferably is fashioned Afrom concrete and embodies a tread groove 20, the outer side faces of the traffic rails 19 being sustained and reinforced by engagement with the lugs 3 and 4 of the cross tie 1. 'As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom of the traffic rail 19 is upwardly arched to coact with a correspondingly shaped strip 22, the ends of which are connected by a bottom strip 21, the ends of the strips 21 and 22 being assembled with the concrete body of the traffic rail in any desired manner. Interposed between the intermediate portions of the strips 22 and 21 are struts 23. The construction above described gives the trafhc rail great strength with a minimum expenditure of material. Fmbeddedin the traffic rail 19 is a reinforcing strip 24 secured to the crown of the top strip 22, the strips 24 and 22 being united by connections 25 of any desired sort. The traffic rails19 above described may be held detachably to the ties by means of dowel pins 26, received in the openings 18 of the tie plates 17 l Assembled with the ends of the reinforcing strip 24 and embedded in the ends of the traffic rail 19 are casings 27 and 29, the casing 27` being pro-vided with a longitudinal slot 28 and there being in the side face of one end of the traffic rail 19, a longitudinal slot 26 corresponding to the slot 28, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings. The easing 29 is provided with an opening 30.

In practical operation, when the ends of vthe traffic rails 19 are brought into abutment above the cross ties 1, the casings 27 and 29 coact. Mounted to slide in the casings 27 and 29 is a latch bar 31 provided with openings 32 and 33. A locking pin 34v passes through the lug 3 ofthe cross tie l,

through the opening 30 in the casing 29 and into theopening 32 of the latch bar 31. An operating pin is lodged in the opening 33 of the latch bar 31 and is mounted to slide in the slots 28 and 36 ofthe casing 27 and the traffic rail 19 respectively, the pin 35 being accessible to one side of the cross tie 1. It will now be understood that by withdrawing the pin 34, the latch bar 31 may be manipulated through the instrumentality of the pin 35, to retract the latch bar, whereupon separate traffic rail sections 19 may be lifted out, thus providing for a renewal of any traffic rail which may have 1 deteriorated.

Resting on top of the lugs 3 of the cross Vtie 1 and abutting against the outer sides of the traffic rails 19 are drainage rails 37, these rails extending the full length of the highway. The outer faces of the traffic rails 19 preferably are provided with under cut grooves 38, receiving the inner edges of the drainage rails 37.' As shown in Fig. 9, one end of each drainage rail 37 is provided with a recess 39 coperating with a recess 40 formed in the other end of the rail. One end of 'eachrail is provided with an elongated slot 41. Mounted to reciprocate in the recesses 39 and 40 is a latch bar 42 held in place by a locking pin 43 and adapted to be manipulated by a pin 44 moving inthe slot 41. Obviously, by withdrawing the pin 43,

the latch bar 42 may be manipulated by means of the pin 44, it then being possible to remove and replace one or more of the drainage rails 37.

The drainage rails 37 are provided with longitudinal grooves 46 and communicating with these grooves 46 at intervals are upright openings 47 formed in the drainage rails, the openings 47 communicating as shown in Fig. 8 with laterally extended conduits 48 discharging into catch basins 49 having removable lids 50, the catch basins being located in the ballast 51 to one side of the highway or in the sidewalk, if a sidewalk extends along the highway. The grooves 46 in the drainage rails 37 serve to catch water, sand and the like which otherwise would be discharged into the tread grooves of the traffic rails 19, the foreign matter above alluded to finding its way into the catch basins 28 through the openings 47 and the conduits 48. The catch basins 49 may be opened at any time, to permit the material therein to be removed.

In Fig. 11 of the drawings there is shown a modified traflic rail 52 which may replace the rail shown in Fig. 2, the rail 52 being reinforced as shown at 54. If desired, as indicated at 55, the space between the traffic rails 19 may be occupied by a filling 55 of clay, sand or other suitable material.

In practical operation, the wheels of the motor propelled vehicles traverse the traffic rails 19, the vehicles being guided by suit able clutch mechanism (not shown) and adapted to engage with the rail 16. Owing to the fact that the space between the rails 19 is filled in as shown at 55, a vehicle may at any time leave the rails 19 and proceed in the usual manner.

The device forming the subject mattei' of this application may be embodied in the form of an electric road if desired. Under such circumstances, the member 16 may be used as a third or conducting rail: or the ordinary overhead system may be employed if desired. Vhen the element 16 is used as a third rail, the vehicle traversing the road will, of course, be equipped with a suitable plow or shoe, adapted to make contact with the rail 16. i

The road forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be placed on one side of an ordinary country highway or lug and coacting with the traiic rail, the drainage rail having a longitudinal groove.

2. In a device of the class described, a cross tie having an upstanding lug; a traffic rail supported on`the cross tie and abutting against the inner face of the lug; a drainage rail supported on top of the lug and coacting with the traffic rail, the drainage rail having a longitudinal groove; a catch basin; and a conduit leading from the catch basin to the groove of the drainage rail.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure; trafc rails carried thereby; drainage rails mounted on the supporting structure and coacting withY the traffic rails; internal latch mechanisms coacting with the ends of the traffic rails and the ends of the drainage rails respectively; and means for operating the latch mechanisms from the exterior of the traffic rails and the drainage rails.

4. In a device of the class described, a cross tie provided with upstanding lugs at its ends, and equipped in its upper edge with notches located adjacent the lugs; a reinforcing element inthe tie, the intermediate portion of the reinforcing element being extended upwardly into flush relation with Copies of this patent may be obtained for the upper edge of the tie, and the ends of the reinforcing element defining the bases of the grooves; traffic rails located in the grooves and abutting against the inner faces of the lugs and supported on the ends of the reinforcing element; and a guide rail loca ted between the traffic rails and supported on the intermediate portion of the reinforcing element.

5. In a device of the class described, atrafiic rail including a body, the lower edge of which is upwardly arched; a top strip coacting with the upwardly arched lower edge of the rail; a bottom strip extended between the ends of the top strip; a strut interposed between the intermediate portion of the top and bottom strips; a reinforcing strip embedded in the rail and coacting with the bottom strip; and latch casings connected with the ends of the reinforcing strip.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN STOCKTON BLANKINSHIP.

Witnesses:

G. S. JONES, N. N. HoLT.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

